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Celestial News & Events

Asteroid to Cover Betelgeuse on Night of December 11-12 (Updated: Livestream Link)

Astronomers are gearing up for an unusual celestial event: an asteroid’s occultation of an iconic star.

Moon passing Venus at dawn, Dec 9-10, 2023

This Week's Sky At a Glance

This Week's Sky at a Glance, December 8 – 17

The best meteor shower of the year peaks late Wednesday night. And if you're not positioned to see the tiny asteroid occult Betelgeuse Monday evening, watch by livestream!

Bright Venus and much fainter Spica in early dawn, Dec. 2, 2023 dawn,

Celestial News & Events

This Week's Sky at a Glance, December 1 – 9

These moonless evenings open up the deep sky. For many of us the viewing is especially crisp through the low-humidity December air. The Big Dipper lies low, Cassiopeia stands high, and the Andromeda Galaxy crosses the zenith.

Moon passing Jupiter, Nov. 24-25, 2023

Celestial News & Events

This Week's Sky at a Glance, November 24 – December 3

This Tuesday the 28th we will see the Moon rise in twilight as far north as it possibly can. Do you know why?

Babylonian clay tablet recording eclipses

Celestial News & Events

How Did the Ancients Predict Eclipses? The Saros Cycle

Before the advent of computers or even a working theory of the solar system, the ancients predicted solar eclipses. How did they do it?

Titania from Voyager 2

Occultations

Watch Uranus's Moon Titania Cover a Star Monday Night

Observers across much of the U.S. and Canada have a unique opportunity Monday night, November 20–21, to see Uranus's brightest moon occult a star.

Celestial News & Events

This Week's Sky at a Glance, November 17 – 26

The bright gibbous Moon this week passes Saturn, then Jupiter, inviting telescopes of all sizes. And as winter approaches, Orion rises earlier and earlier.

GRS 2017 Juno

Explore the Night with Bob King

Jupiter's Great Red Spot Just Keeps Getting Smaller

Jupiter's Great Red Spot may be reaching a milestone this year by shrinking to its smallest size in recorded observational history.

First-quarter Moon passing Saturn at quadrature, Nov. 19-20, 2023

This Week's Sky At a Glance

This Week's Sky at a Glance, November 10 – 19

The crescent Moon slips down into the sunrise and then up in the afterglow of sunset, guiding the way to the last stars of Sagittarius right after dark. A few days later it passes Saturn.

Catch the Moon-Venus pairing at dawn Nov 9, 2023

This Week's Sky At a Glance

This Week's Sky at a Glance, November 3 – 12

The Great Square, now upright, guides your way down to Fomalhaut and Diphda and, farther down, Alpha Phoenicis – a chance to add a new constellation to your life list. And plan to catch the Moon-Venus pairing in early dawn on the 9th.

Starlink flares

Explore the Night with Bob King

How to See Freaky Starlink "Cluster Flares", Plus the Latest on Comet Lemmon

Alien invasion or flares from satellites in multiple orbits? It depends on your point of view. We also check in on Comet Lemmon, poised to possibly reach binocular-visibility.

Full Moon and Jupiter rising in twilight, October 28 and 29, 2023

Celestial News & Events

This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 27 – November 5

The full Moon on October 28th shines near full Jupiter at opposition this week. Telescopically, Jupiter this week is as big as you'll ever see it,

Moon and Saturn at dusk, Oct 23-24, 2023

This Week's Sky At a Glance

This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 20 – 29

The waxing Moon in the evening sky visits Saturn, then Jupiter. And as Halloween approaches, Arcturus becomes the Ghost of Summer Suns.

Orionid composite 2015-2022

Explore the Night with Bob King

Orionid Meteors Fly; Two Moons Shadow Jupiter

Bundle up and enjoy the Orionid meteor shower under moonless skies this week. Don't miss the warm-up act, either, when two of Jupiter's moons pair up in a captivating double-shadow transit.

Cloudy partial eclipse

Celestial News & Events

Annular Solar Eclipse Dazzles Watchers Across North America

The weekend's solar eclipse dazzled observers throughout the U.S. and Mexico. Sky & Telescope editors and contributing editors report.

Annular eclipse

Celestial Objects to Observe

Where to Watch the October 14th Annular Solar Eclipse Online

If you can't see the annular solar eclipse in person, we've got some online viewing opportunities for you.

Jupiter and partially eclipsed Io, Oct. 5, 2023.. Sean Walker image.

This Week's Sky At a Glance

This Week's Sky at a Glance, October 13 – 22

The week's big event is the Moon stepping on the Sun on Saturday the 14th. But the Moon's not done. Several days later it steps squarely on the handle of the Sagittarius Teapot, then on Herman's Cross. Show-off. Image: S&T's Sean Walker resolves Io half lit as it slips into Jupiter's shadow.

Annular solar eclipse

Eclipses

When It's Eclipse Decision Time, How Do You Decide Where to Go?

Satellite imagery will prove invaluable in making decisions on the day of the annular solar eclipse.

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks outburst

Celestial News & Events

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks (aka the "Millenium Falcon" Comet) Flares Again!

Comet 12P/Pons-Brooks has awakened again from its recent slumbers with a fresh outburst. It's now bright enough to see in a modest telescope.

Baily's beads

Celestial News & Events

The History of Baily’s Brilliant Beads

Discover the observations of astronomer Francis Baily as he watched sunlight bead along the lunar limb during an 1836 annular eclipse.